Parish of Keynsham

Picture of church

The Parish of

XXXXX

Letter from parish priest

We are beginning this stewardship campaign at All Saints tide. The hymn, For All the Saints, has become a tradition at All Saints Tide and, like many traditions, liberates people into a different way of thinking. We have reproduced the words of the hymn on the back page.

As the hymn says, we are members of ‘a blest communion and fellowship divine’. We are heirs of the saints, apostles, evangelists and martyrs, in addition to those who built the parish Church, worshipped and ministered here for XXX years. We are all of one body and have a responsibility to the past, the future and to each other now.

We have many traditions both at XXXXX’s and at the church in the School. The traditions with which we are familiar are good in providing a sure foundation. But, if we do not use that foundation to build our faith, it is rather pointless in having the tradition. The tradition liberates us into a different way of thinking – knowing that we are truly grounded in firm foundations.

Perhaps the time has come for us to realise the strength of those foundations.

Picture of church service/tradition

The hymn, like many Victorian hymns, draws on analogies of warfare and strife. This was language that was understood by the many. The imagery was prompted by his realisation that, for many, daily life was not easy. He had a particular concern for the conditions of industrial workers and the rural poor. In those times, there would have been people evangelising and suffering for proclaiming what would now be called a social gospel.

The final two verses proclaim the reality for the future. Truly glorious, one that the Saints are experiencing and one that we will.

In our parish, we need to rediscover the zeal and commitment expressed by Bishop How in the hymn. The world around has changed. Clergy used to have ‘Livings’. They could be in a parish for life and many were. This was because there was no pension scheme. Things have changed and clergy now have a pension scheme. But that costs money to operate.

Also, a priest used to be able to rely on income from the land owned by his parish and this income was used to help pay the priest, together with the fees paid for weddings, etc and the traditional Easter and Christmas collections. Over time, it became apparent that some parishes were wealthy and clergy were paid huge sums. The less well-off parishes struggled to attract clergy and it was only the various societies (such as the Additional Curates Society; Society for the Maintenance of the Faith) that enabled such parishes to have clergy. They provided financial support – with that support coming from the giving of the members of the society. The system changed at the same time as the pension situation. Now, all parish priests receive broadly the same stipend (not a salary or a wage, but a payment made to free them to fulfil their ministry in accordance with God’s will).

These changes now mean that there is the ability to provide Christian ministry across the country – regardless of the wealth, or poverty, of an area. It is made possible by a system of shares contributed by parishes. The larger parishes contribute more than the smaller parishes; the wealthier areas are asked for more than the less well off areas; clergy are deployed on a basis of need and not on an ability of a parish to pay. The system has Biblical roots (see Acts 2:44 ‘all believers held everything in common’) and has been developed from the historic model of the Church as shown over the page.

In 2011, the cost of a priest was

£42,825 per annum

It is important to say that he is not paid this much. The stipend (salary) is £23,513, plus employer’s national insurance contributions (£1,930) and pension costs (£7,785).

We want you to know the position; to pray about what each of us can do; review your giving and rededicate it to God. This is a different form of sacrifice to that mentioned by Bishop How in the hymn – but it is nevertheless meaningful and valid.

The annual share requested of our parish is £XXXXX. This is almost exactly the same as the cost of providing a priest./This means that other parishes are assisting towards the cost of ministry here - we are a benefitting parish./This means that we are able to assist other parishes to continue to provide ministry in areas where there is greater need. Some parishes contribute far more – even as much as £180,000 p a.

However, in 20XX it looks likely that we will only be able to pay in the region of £XXXXX of what is requested. Others will be asked for more the following year to make up the shortfall. This is done willingly by the parishes that do so – but is it right that we are in this position? Maybe it is right – we just don’t know. And that is why we have produced this booklet. Amend as appropriate.

In addition to parish share, we need to heat and light the Church, resource local activity, pay insurance premiums, as well as the day to day items used in services. So the total budget is in the region of £XXXXX p a.

This is a lot of money; it works out at £XXXXX per week.

There are about XXX people who are linked with our church. It would be very easy to say that everyone should give £XX per week. That would solve the problem! Except

• Not all could afford that much.
• Some would find such a sum almost small change (less that they pay per week for newspapers).
• The concept is contrary to Biblical Teaching.
• It is important that all contribute of what they have – not what they do not have. No one should be barred from attending church.

We ask that people consider regular giving and not just a ‘one off’ effort. Such one off gifts should be reserved for when we want to make particular thanks to God and not just normal thanksgiving for day to day life.

Fun events, such as the talent scheme, can be what they should be – FUN.

Another way of looking at it is a system of shares.

If we divide the weekly budget into XXX shares and each share is £2.00, the situation could be resolved by:

If X families pledge1 share (£2), that’s XX.00 per week

If X families pledge2 shares, that’s XX.00 per week

If X families pledge3 shares, that’s XXX.00 per week

If X families pledge4 shares, that’s XXX.00 per week

If X families pledge5 shares, that’s XXX.00 per week

If X families pledge6 shares, that’s XXX.00 per week

If X families pledge7 shares, that’s XXX.00 per week

If X families pledge8 shares, that’s XXX.00 per week

If X families pledge9 shares, that’s XXX.00 per week

If X families pledge10 shares, that’s XXX.00 per week

TOTAL XXXX.00 per week

If those who paid tax Gift Aided their donations, there would be additional tax refunds for the parish. We would be solvent and able to plan for an increase in activity.

* Some like to give weekly, some monthly and some annually

If you pay Income Tax, an easy change is to sign up for Gift Aid.

Would you and your family fit on this scale? How many shares might you pledge to cover each week or each month?

A share system will only work if those who can give more do give more. It is important that we all examine our giving and establish where that is within our list of priorities and essential needs.

We invite all connected with our church to:

• Review their giving
• Renew their giving
• Rejoice in their giving

reflecting on

• Why we give
• What we give
• How we give

Giving by bank Standing Order, on the day that we receive our income, will be helpful for many. It avoids the need to find cash on a Sunday and makes it very easy to put God first (not most) in our budget. A Standing Order form is enclosed for those that want to use it.

And, a reminder, for those who do pay income tax, signing the Gift Aid declaration will increase the value of your donation by 25p in the pound

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This booklet is being circulated as part of a ‘Pass-it-on Pack’, which has an envelope for you containing:

• The parish booklet
• A response form for each adult in your household
• A response form: pledge, Gift Aid Declaration and Standing Order
• A white ‘Response envelope’.

First of all please read this booklet, which outlines the plans and aspirations for our parish.

Then consider carefully how you can make a renewed Christian commitment towards the achievement of our aims by the ways described on the appropriate forms in the ‘Pass-it-on’ folder. So much is already being done, but we can do so much more.

Please complete the response forms within a day or two, seal them in the response envelope and place it in the large brown envelope in the Pass-it-on Pack.

When you have done this, please pass the Pack to the next person listed on the front within 48 hours.

Thank you for your time in reading this information.

Thank you for your response.

Thank you for all that you presently do.

It is appreciated.

O Lord, help us to go out of ourselves, so that we may give ourselves over to you, with all our powers, with all that we are and all that we have. Amen

Jacob Boehme

Picture of church interiorFor all the saints, who from their labours rest,Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,Thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed. Alleluia, Alleluia!Thou wast their Rock, their Fortress and their Might;Thou, Lord, their Captain in the well fought fight;Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light. Alleluia, Alleluia!For the Apostles’ glorious company, Who bearing forth the Cross o’er land and sea,Shook all the mighty world, we sing to Thee: Alleluia, Alleluia!For the Evangelists, by whose blest word,Like fourfold streams, the garden of the Lord,Is fair and fruitful, be Thy Name adored. Alleluia, Alleluia!For Martyrs, who with rapture kindled eye,Saw the bright crown descending from the sky,And seeing, grasped it, Thee we glorify. Alleluia, Alleluia!O blest communion, fellowship divine!We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;All are one in Thee, for all are Thine. Alleluia, Alleluia!O may Thy soldiers, faithful, true and bold,Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old,And win with them the victor’s crown of gold. Alleluia, Alleluia!And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,And hearts are brave, again, & arms are strong. Alleluia, Alleluia!The golden evening brightens in the west;Soon, soon to faithful warriors comes their rest;Sweet is the calm of paradise the blessed. Alleluia, Alleluia!But lo! there breaks a yet more glorious day;The saints triumphant rise in bright array;The King of glory passes on His way. Alleluia, Alleluia!From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast,Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,And singing to Father, Son and Holy Ghost: Alleluia, Alleluia!

Bishop William How